Texting while driving penalties to increase in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – A new bill signed into law last week will make using a cellphone while driving a moving offense for the first time.

Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 4846 into law Aug. 14 that would make the action a Class A misdemeanor if the distracted driving resulted in great bodily harm, permanent disability or disfigurement to another person, which could mean less than a year of prison time if convicted. If it results in death, the offending driver could get up to three years in prison if convicted, according to the new law.

The new law said a person who violates it could be fined a maximum of $75 for a first offense, $100 for a second offense, $125 for a third offense and $150 for a fourth or subsequent offense. It said a driver still can use an electronic communication device in hands-free or voice-operated mode, which may include the use of a headset.

The General Assembly passed a bill in 2013 prohibiting all uses of cellphones while driving. Currently, the first offense is classified as a warning.

The new law goes into effect July 1, 2019.